涩 meaning and stroke order
Astringent, harsh, rough, uneven
How to write 涩, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 涩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- astringent
- tart
- acerbity
- unsmooth
- rough (surface)
- hard to understand
How 涩 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Water 氵 that cuts like a knife 刃; 止 provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 涩
Picture water 氵 that cuts like a knife 刃 in your mouth and makes you stop 止. That sharp, puckering feeling is 涩 (sè), the dry taste of unripe fruit or strong tea.
涩 describes an astringent taste, a rough or unsmooth surface, or writing that is hard to read. It also appears in emotional words like 羞涩 (xiūsè, shy) and 苦涩 (kǔsè, bitter, pained). Example: 这个柿子很涩。(Zhège shìzi hěn sè.) This persimmon is very astringent.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top right part as 刀 instead of 刃. 刃 has an extra short dot stroke, and 涩 needs it. Also keep the fourth tone in sè, and do not mix it up with 色 (sè, color), which sounds the same but means something different.
Common words with 涩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 羞涩 | xiūsè | shy; bashful | |
| 苦涩 | kǔsè | bitter and astringent; pained |
涩 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 涩
How many strokes are in 涩?
涩 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 涩 mean?
涩 (sè) means astringent, harsh, rough, uneven. A common word with it is 羞涩 (xiūsè), meaning "shy; bashful".
How do you pronounce 涩?
涩 is pronounced sè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 涩?
The radical of 涩 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 涩 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 涩?
The traditional form of 涩 is 澀 and 澁. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 涩 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 涩 and 苦?
苦 (kǔ) means bitter, like medicine or coffee. 涩 (sè) is the dry, puckering feeling in your mouth, like from unripe persimmons or over-steeped tea. The two often combine in 苦涩 (kǔsè).
Can 涩 describe things that are not food?
Yes. It can describe a rough or sticky surface, such as 门有点涩 (mén yǒudiǎn sè), meaning the door does not slide smoothly. It can also describe dry, tired eyes or writing that is awkward and hard to understand, as in 晦涩 (huìsè, obscure).